Work Text:
"C'mon, Younghyun. Work with me here."
"No!"
Jae sighed, tired out of his mind even without the hyperactive little running around the dorm.
The other members had already decided to turn in for the night, just as exhausted after a long day of band practice. Except for Sungjin, who thought it would be a great idea to stay out for a little longer and leave Jae with Younghyun, the younger not hesitating to slip into little space the moment he walked through the door.
So here they were, Jae cornering Younghyun onto his bed after a nightmare of getting him into his pajamas and countless times of trying and failing to get him under the sheets without him running off every two minutes.
"Younghyun," Jae said with the most authoritative tone he could find in himself that only made Younghyun seemingly more determined to stand his ground. "Go to bed. Now."
Younghyun huffed. "I don't wanna."
"You have to be up early tomorrow."
"But I'm not tired-" Younghyun interrupted himself with a very big and very poorly concealed yawn.
“See?” Jae pointed. “You are tired, and you need to go to sleep.”
“Am not!”
“I just saw you yawn.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Yes I did.”
“Nuh uh.”
“Younghyun-”
“No!”
And with that, Younghyun took off once again, and Jae was left by himself, wondering how Sungjin did it all the time. Jae loved the kid, and he had absolutely no problem with taking care of him. Younghyun is well behaved most of the time, but God, did Jae envy Sungjin for being able to put up with the crying and yelling and whining all the other times. Jae was sure that if he were dealing with anyone else, his patience would have run out a long time ago.
Right now, though, his primary purpose was to put a stubborn Younghyun to bed. So he sucked it up, preparing to give the tenth scolding of the night and for the possible tantrum that would ensue.
But as Jae walked out of the room to look, he found that he didn’t actually have to go very far. There at the end of the hall was Younghyun, curled in on himself with his head down on his knees, sitting on the floor up against Sungjin’s bedroom door.
Oh. So that’s what this was about.
“Oh Hyunnie…” Jae made his way over to Younghyun, who looked up at him with watery eyes.
“‘m sorry...” Younghyun said so softly that Jae almost missed it.
Jae crouched down to meet Younghyun’s face, bringing a hand up to brush his hair out of the way, trying to give any comfort that he could. “It’s okay,” he said. “But do you wanna tell me about what’s got you so upset?”
Younghyun sniffled. “Want Daddy.”
“Oh baby...Daddy won’t be home until later.”
“But...but I wan’ him now,” Younghyun whined, his eyes watering, and Jae had seconds to come up with a solution before the next few minutes became a full blown crying session.
“Tell you what. You can stay in my room, and we’ll wait for him together. That sound like a good idea?”
Younghyun hesitated before nodding rapidly and taking Jae’s outstretched hand.
Jae led Younghyun to his bedroom, tucking him in and climbing under the covers next to him. He carded his hand through Younghyun’s hair as he curled himself into Jae’s side. After a while, Jae noticed the way Younghyun’s eyes were drooping, even falling closed for a few seconds at a time before he shook himself awake again. He chuckled.
“Younghyun,” he said softly, pulling him a little closer. “You can go to sleep now if you want.”
“Nuh uh.” Younghyun shook his head and pouted. “Gotta stay up an’ wait for Daddy.”
“Just a little nap. You’re falling asleep already,” Jae cooed. “I’ll wake you up when he comes home, okay?”
Younghyun yawned. “Okay,” he said, tucking his head under Jae’s chin, and within a few minutes, the little was asleep.
Jae couldn’t tell how much time passed, but eventually he began to doze off as well. But just as he was about to knock out, he was woken up by the clicking of the front door lock. Finally, Sungjin was home.
Jae heard his footsteps through the hall, presumably making his way to check up on Younghyun. Jae waited for him to realize that Younghyun was, in fact, not in his room, and soon enough, Sungjin’s head popped in through Jae’s bedroom door.
“Why is Younghyun not in his...” Sungjin trailed off when he saw his little safely nestled in Jae’s arms. He walked over to the side of the bed, looking at them both with an affectionate smile. He took in Jae’s exhausted face. “Was he difficult tonight?” He asked, his voice softer now.
"Just a little," Jae said. “Didn’t wanna go to sleep without you. I told him I’d wake him up when you came home.”
Sungjin hummed. He crouched down to Younghyun’s side, lifting a hand to gently shake his shoulder. “Younghyunnie,” he whispered.
Younghyun stirred, not opening his eyes just yet. “Hm?”
“Younghyunnie, I’m home.”
Younghyun’s eyes slowly opened. It took him a few seconds to recognize the voice speaking to him before he turned to face Sungjin. “Daddy?”
Sungjin chuckled. “Good morning. I heard you gave Jaehyungie a hard time.”
Younghyun made a sour face. “No~”
”Okay, okay,” Sungjin said and laughed when he saw Younghyun struggling to keep his eyes open. “C’mon let’s get you into your own bed now.”
Younghyun lifted his arms, and Sungjin took him into his own. “Say goodnight to Jaehyungie.”
"G’night,” Younghyun said, already falling back asleep on Sungjin’s shoulder, while Sungjin mouthed a quick ‘thank you’ to Jae.
As Jae was about to go to sleep, he heard soft giggles coming from Younghyun’s room, and he’s filled with absolute adoration knowing his normally stressed out bandmate, tonight was peaceful without a single care in the world and so happy.
Yeah, he wouldn’t trade it for anything else.